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Note: This site is currently being updated. Please revisit during the next week to see the new layout and content.

Our Deanery has the largest Synod in the country, yet, in physical area is one of the smallest Deaneries in the Diocese. This gives us a great opportunity for churches to work together to bring God into the day to day lives of the people of Reading.

A key factor to achieve this is good communication which is why we have made the development of the Deanery Web site one of our key priorities.

In addition to giving basic details about the Deanery, with links into each individual Parish, our aim is to feature forthcoming events that involve more than one church.

It will also show exciting developments within Parishes which have the potential for other churches to also develop. This can only be fully achieved if you make full use of the web site and feed in the information which you would like to see featured. It is your web site and we all have a vital role in making sure it is a success.

The Bishop is asking the whole Diocese of Oxford which includes Reading Deanery to read, study and dwell in the opening words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: the Beatitudes in Matthew 5.1-10.
Reading Deanery is a living, growing network of churches, chaplaincies and schools in one of the great crossroads of the world.

We have a common calling and vision: to become a more Christ-like church in this critical moment of history so that we can better serve the communities Reading Deanery and our fragmented world.

To be more Christ-like in this place at this time means to catch a fresh vision of Jesus Christ. The Beatitudes are a self-portrait of Jesus. They show us that to be more Christ-like means to become a more contemplative church, a more compassionate church and a more courageous church.

For Christians, being contemplative means simply to spend time with God. A contemplative church spends time with God. To be contemplative is to be poor in spirit, meek and pure in
heart.

Compassionate people feel and show sympathy and concern for others. A compassionate church laments or mourns with the suffering in the world and is full of mercy which leads to action.

Courageous people are whole-hearted. To be a courageous church means to put our heart and soul into everything we are and do. A courageous church will be hungry and thirsty for justice, seeking peace and reconciliation and willing to bear the cost of our discipleship and offer a bold witness to our faith.